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"What were you going to say? The last time we were here? What did you say?" She was giving him a chance. One last opportunity to admit how he felt. To tell her how much he…
Gods he was a coward.
"I said Rose Tyler."
"And how were you going to finish that sentence?"
The Doctor hesitated. He wanted to say it. Really really wanted to say it; desperately wanted to say it! But it wasn't coming out.
"Does it need to be said?” He managed to choke out
"That's why we're here then, isn't it? So you wont have to worry about saying it. Or not saying it."
"No. No I'm trying to do right by you Rose. I want you to have the life you want."
"And what life do you think that is? 2.3 kids and a white picket fence?! For the smartest man in the universe you are the densest bloke I've ever met."
The Doctor was a bit stunned. That is, frankly what he thought she'd want her life to be. He thought she’d want her life to be comfortable. Not like his. Always running for their lives, always dangerous.
"Well--"
"It's not. The life I want. That’s not it." Rose started, "The life I want is in that box."
The Doctor studied her. Unsure she was speaking honestly. He knew what she wanted. She wanted a Doctor, a him that loved her and could SAY it. And he just couldn’t, it was too hard and the words didn’t mean enough. But she looked back at him looking like she was about to fall off a fence and if he didn’t push her to the right side then she may fall and never love him again.
He then said, "I may never be able to say it." She scoffed,
"It doesn't matter. I don't care if you never love me back.” Of course she cared but she needed to make him listen. “I love you and I love what you've shown me." The Doctor was confused as she went on "The stars, Doctor. All those planets. I don't want to stop traveling. When you met me I was stuck in a life that meant nothing! You took me away and showed me there was so much more than just telly work and chips. So get out of your head and get back to that box and show me some stars."
The Doctor was gaping. Both of him were. No one loved the stars as much as he, did they? Did she? He moved forward to stand right in front of this pink and yellow human who'd managed to burrow her way into his hearts. Who he had watched fall in love with the stars and the traveling in, he liked to think, a very similar fashion he himself had all those centuries ago. As elated as he was to hear that another loved the stars as much as he did, something else she said was bothering him right now and there was no way to shush the train of thought; did she really believe he didn't love her? Well, he'd never said it and he supposed he hadn't been doing a great job of showing it.
He swallowed hard, "I may never be able to say it but," He searched her eyes, nothing but love; love of planets, love for humanity, love for him of all things and gathered his strength. "But that doesn't mean I don't feel it."
And with that The Doctor closed the space between them, kissing her soundly. Suddenly her arms were around his neck as she kissed him back and he'd be lying if he said it hadn't, for a moment, lost track of time.
A sudden thought had him breaking the kiss before he really wanted to.
"Rose, the rift. It's going to close soon, for good this time. It's your choice whether or not you stay but--"
The Doctor yelped as he was yanked around by the hand. They didn’t stop running until they were just TARDIS doors. Everything seemed to stop for a moment and The Doctor asked "Is that a yes then?"
Rose grinned, her tongue between her teeth, "Allons-y."